When photography was fresh and new around the turn of the century a French photographer by the name of Jacques-Henri Lartigue wrote:

It's marvellous, marvellous! Nothing will ever be as much fun. I'm going to photograph everything, everything!

I take a lot of photos - friends and family will attest to the fact that I often have to run to catch up with everyone else on a walk because I, like the proverbial crow, am distracted by a shiny thing. In the crow's case, the crow physically picks up the shiny thing and carries it away. I, on the other hand, record the shiny thing (for what is shine but light?) in my camera and then race on till the next shiny thing distracts me.

And I have FUN doing this, which is why I adore the above quote.

If every time I went out with my camera it was with the intent of "getting a good photo" or making a shot worthy of a National Geographic cover, I think I'd lose the fun.

Let me tell you the story of the above image. My husband and I were in Prince Rupert, British Columbia, sitting in our car after finishing lunch. Prince Rupert is notoriously rainy, so this was a rare sunny day. The car was our own and had New Mexico license plates. My window was rolled down and suddenly I heard someone holler "Como estas! Como estas!"

A young local couple, infused with sunshine and perhaps something else, came up to the car, astonished to see our New Mexico license plate so far from home. Incredulous, they asked if we had driven the entire way. Laughing and joking with us, I suddenly wanted so much to capture this shiny thing, I asked if I could take their picture. Heck yeah was the response. They wrapped their arms around each other and gave me the best grins ever. We laughed and parted ways.

Now, if I wasn't having fun and I was only focused on "the perfect shot" would I have even considered this image? Probably not. The light was harsh, the final image a snapshot of time.

Yet every time I look at this image, I crack a grin if not a chortle, and just remember how marvellous and fun it was, and is, to photograph everything!